


A lovely Christmas

by aquatarius



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/M, Flushed Romance | Matesprits, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance, eridan and signless are only mentioned, kanaya is only mentioned as well, pre scratch names used for post scratch ancestors, you can see it either way really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2015-11-28
Packaged: 2018-05-03 17:14:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5299640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquatarius/pseuds/aquatarius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snowed in, Cronus 'Dualscar' Ampora spends some time with his neighbor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A lovely Christmas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cookie24](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cookie24/gifts).



> Cronus is Dualscar and Porrim is Dolorosa. I chose the relationships with other people as they made sense. Kanaya and Porrim are sisters, and Cronus is Eridan's father. Pre-Scratch Cronus does not exist.

  This was the single worst Christmas Cronus Ampora had ever had. He’d been going to fly out to his son’s collage to spend the holiday in a hotel that he’d reserved months ago. On a flight he’d reserved months ago. It was the first time in forever he and Eridan and he had been something resembling good terms. 

  And now he was snowed in, in his small town, with a single airport and a single drug store. Why hadn’t he just settled for the city? Why had he insisted on being settled as the captain of a small town fishing company? (Because he hated smog and believed it was bad for his lungs, which were royally messed up from his smoker days as a teen. He’d long since kicked the habit, but it had left him with weak lungs. And he still craved cigarettes on a daily basis.)

  He was now lingering on his porch, looking forlornly at his expensive foreign car, wondering if he could drive across the country in holiday traffic to see his son. He couldn’t, of course, but it would be a delightfully wonderful thing to do. Of course, since he couldn’t do it, he was stuck dreaming about it and wondering if he could.

  Cronus turned to watch a car drive up the street. Ah, Miss Maryam. A lady who had worked with the foster care system. She’d lost her adopted son a few years ago, and had stopped working with them. Although C.P.S. knew she’d still take a child in for respite, or approve something off the books. She was also a woman who had a very deep hate for the fishing company he worked for, part of the Betty Crocker Enterprises. Heavens knew where that came from. The kids on the street had named her Mother Maryam because she acted like a mother. Her doors were always open, and she had cookies and chores for any kid who wandered into her home.

  She got out of her car, and closed the door. Cronus watched as she grabbed groceries from the back of her car and carried them into her house. He sighed and leaned over the railing, staring at the snow on the lawn. He wondered what she was going to be doing this Christmas. Probably curling up and drinking hot cocoa. He didn’t have hot cocoa. She was rather well off to do, getting a house in the nicer part of home. Rumor had it she had a sister in the fashion business. Cathy, was it? No, started with a K. Katrina? Ka…

  “Mister Ampora?” He looked up and over at the Maryam’s porch. Miss Maryam herself was standing on the porch, holding onto one of the pillars and looking rather surprised. “I thought you were going to your son’s for the holiday.” Ah, of course she knew. News traveled fast in such a small town. He had probably mentioned it to someone at a store. He shrugged.

  “Snowed in. Storm comin’ over.” He said, his voice deep and rough. Miss Maryam bit her lower lip, looking like a woman who was very conflicted. She looked around the street, as if searching for someone to deal with him. Apparently finding no one, she sighed and gave a little wave of her hand.

  “Come over.” She said.

  “…What?”

  “Just, come over.”

  “You’ve made it pretty clear that you don’t really l-“

  “Yes, I know, but I can’t just leave you over there all alone on Christmas Eve. Please just come over before I change my mind.” She said. She grabbed her purse from the van, and headed inside. Cronus looked around, then grabbed his beer and walked over. He put his hand on the fence and jumped over it easily, then headed in after her. Miss Maryam was standing in the doorway and gave him a rather disapproving look.

  “…Sorry?” He asked. She rolled her eyes and kicked off her shoes. He hopped up the porch stairs and looked around as he kicked off his own shoes and left them in a neat pile next to the door. The inside of her house was neat, nice, and comfortable, but not overly lavish. There was a sewing machine on the far side of the room.

  “Would you like some hot cocoa?” Miss Maryam called from the kitchen. Damn. He’d been right. He nodded, then called in a polite “Yes please!” He wandered into the kitchen/dining room area, and sniffed. Homemade hot cocoa. This woman was on another level entirely. Eridan had been lucky to get that Miss Swift brand or whatever the hell when he was a kid. She gave him the coffee in a little snowman mug and he nearly face palmed. He left the beer on a counter and pretended he didn’t notice Miss Maryam’s slight scowl at it.

  “Is something wrong?” She asked. Cronus shook his head, and reached for the cocoa. He took a small sip. It was the best hot cocoa he’d ever had, and he told her so. She smiled and took a mug of her own. She dropped some marshmallows into her mug, and reached over to drop some into his own mug. Cronus took a step back, eyes wide. “What are you doing?”

  “You are not putting those _disgusting_ , tasteless puffs into my hot cocoa.” He snapped. His tone was a little harsh, but the sudden flare of anger was more at the words then the tone. She narrowed her eyes.

  “You’re one of _those_ people. Why do you hate happiness?!” She said, offense in her voice.  She threw a handful marshmallows at him, and Cronus jumped back. He quickly yanked out a marshmallow that had fallen into his hot cocoa and threw it back at her. If clung to the front of her shirt and her look soured as she looked down at it. She plucked it off and dropped it in the garbage.

  Cronus sipped his hot cocoa. Miss Maryam turned and put the marshmallows back in the cupboard, but not before dumping another handful into her cup. Cronus bit back a gag. She gave a small wave of her hand and Cronus backed into the living room. He grumbled and sat down on the couch. She sat down on the other side and pulled up her legs. For a few moments, nobody could seem to find anything to say.

  “So, um. Your boy. Eridan?” Miss Maryam glanced sideways at her guest. Cronus nodded a little. “What’s he going to school for?”

  “Oh, some history major. Military, or something. I haven’t asked” He said, waving a hand. “He gets good marks, and he really enjoys it. He’s been studying that since before he could walk. He’s a good boy, if a little troubled.”

  “I see. Kankri liked social work.” She said. Her voice got quiet when she said the name, and Cronus felt a moment of confusion before remembering that was the name of her adopted boy. He nodded, making a sympathetic noise in the back of his throat. Miss Maryam sighed and sipped her cocoa.

  “So, you have a sister, right? The, one in the fashion industry?” Cronus tried. Miss Maryam smiled a little, and nodded.

  “Yes, Kanaya. She works very hard at it. She’s a good girl.” She answered. She sounded more like a mother talking about her daughter then an older sister, but Cronus supposed it was because she was more or less a mother to any person that she knew for long enough.

  “She’s the one who pays for this?” Cronus went on, waving a hand around. Miss Maryam looked surprised She shook her head a little.

  “Er. No. I design clothing, and send them to Kanaya, who knows how to make it and what to do with it. Who to sell it to. We work together. And she’ll consult me for her own designs. I also have contacts in several other countries. Oh, here.” Miss Maryam got up and grabbed a magazine off the book shelves, then offered it. Two young ladies, one of whom was very obviously a younger Miss Maryam, stood on the front page, wearing gorgeous dresses. Cronus swallowed. Miss Maryam could probably afford a house much bigger than this. She chuckled quietly at his look.

  “Yes, that’s it. Porrim Maryam. Millionaire and living in the middle of nowhere because her adopted son died and she couldn’t stand the spot light anymore.” She didn’t sound very bitter, surprisingly. Just sad and maybe a little tired. “What’s your story? What’s a relatively young man doing here?”

  “Military injury and p.t.s.d. I’m a land locked fish. The C.E.O. of Crocker Enterprises, Peixes, seemed like she wanted me very badly, and I’m not a man to turn down a pretty lady. Besides, I hate the city.” He explained.

  “You think Meenah Peixes is pretty?”

  “Oh, _yes._ But, um.” The look on her face had him back peddling as fast as he could go in record time. This was worse than the time he’d looked that land loving Admiral Makara in the eye and told him exactly what he could do with his orders. “I see, a lot of pretty ladies. Like. You, for instance.”

  “You think I’m pretty?”

  “I. Um.”

  “Well, I found your problem.”

  “My, problem?”

  “You’re quite obviously blind. My apologies.” Miss Maryam said smoothly. Cronus opened and closed his mouth a few times, then chuckled a little.

  “Yes, obviously.” He said. This woman was quick on her feet and pleasant to talk to without being sickly sweet or a complete bitch. He sipped on his hot cocoa, and then inhaled the scent of it. He could feel Miss Maryam’s eyes on him and rolled his eyes. “How can you like those disgusting puffs?”

A snort, rather humorous coming from Miss Marym. “You’re a heartless monster. How can you drink that without marshmallows? They make the top thick and sweet.”

  “They make it nasty.”

  “ _You’re_ nasty.”  
  “I prefer mean.” He said, his voice friendly and warm instead of the normal cool scorn he reserved for people he didn’t know and didn’t like. He was losing himself in the conversation, the jokes, the laughter, the sharing, and it was too late to back out. He wondered where he’d left his beer. In the kitchen, probably.

  The conversation came to a lull, but one that was warm and friendly, rather than uncomfortable. They finished their hot cocoa, and Miss Maryam took their cups into the kitchen and brought them back refilled without a word. He noted that a single marshmallow had been placed into his mug.

  “Have you ever seen ‘It’s a Wonderful Life?” Miss Maryam asked. Cronus thought for a moment, then shook his head.

  “I’ve seen a Christmas Carol, I used to watch it with Eridan every Christmas Eve. But not ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’” Cronus said. She smiled and stood up, moving to get a movie and then put it on.

  “Well, I guess I know what I’m going to be doing tonight.” She said, seeming rather excited about it. Cronus chuckled and watched her. After she pressed play, she grabbed a blanket and a plate of ginger bread cookies, then sat next to him. The cookies went onto the coffee table, and the blanket went over the both of them, although there were several inches between them.

  When the movie was over, Cronus stared for several moments at the screen. He was quiet literally speechless. Miss Maryam gave a happy little sigh, and picked up a cookie shaped like a Christmas tree. Miss Maryam got them both another cup of cocoa, and then touched his arm.

  “I’m sorry, was that too much for you? Did your wrinkled old heart simply implode?” She inquired, her voice gentle. Cronus huffed and turned to level a small glare at her.

  “I was just thinking. It was a good movie. Very deep. I enjoyed it. Do you, watch that every year?” He asked, pushing down the irritated feelings at her words. She offered him a circle cookie that looked sort of like a tree ornament. He took it and munched on it while he contemplated why he’d nearly started to cry. It was nearly as good as the Christmas Carol one. He sniffled softly, and sipped the new hot cocoa. He heard a giggle and looked over to see Miss Maryam quickly cover her mouth.

  “You get really emotional over movies.” She commented. Cronus grumbled and set the coffee down so he could cross his arms.

  “It was a good movie is all.” He said, looking at the now black screen. Miss Maryam must’ve turned it off. She laughed softly, and it was a sound that made Cronus pause his thinking just to listen. He turned to look at her again, and she smiled at him.

  “You’re not what I thought, you know.” She said quietly. Cronus shrugged a little and uncrossed his arms. He grabbed his hot cocoa and sipped it.

  “What did you think I was like, then?”

  “C.E.O douchebag who smokes and drinks too much and hates everything good. Like marshmallows.” She said. Cronus rolled his eyes. “I’m glad you’re not.”

  “Are you?”

  “Yes. I’d hate to have my house smell like smoke and bad wine.”

  “You’re insinuating that it doesn’t.”

  She laughed again, and then looked out the window. Porrim gave a little gasp and set her cup down. “Come on! It’s snowing!” She got up to her feet and practically flew to the door. She stuffed her feet in her shoes and swung open the door, dancing out onto the front lawn. Cronus smiled and followed, slipping on his dress shoes at a slightly slower pace.

  There was a light dusting of snow. It was powdery and light, and it continued to fall as softly as a child’s footsteps when they creep down the stairs to catch Santa. Cronus was a little worried that snow would get into his shoes, but the thought died the instant he saw Porrim spinning around in the snow. He chuckled and leaned on the door frame, watching her.

  “Come on!” She called, pausing. She reached out a hand, as if to help him onto the snow covered yard, even though she was too far away to touch even if he stretched. Cronus smiled and stepped off the porch. He walked over and took her hand, then pulled her to him, admiring the white snowflakes that melted quickly in her hair. “There. Close your eyes.”

  Cronus obeyed, closing his eyes and waiting. It only took a moment for something cold and wet to find its way down the front of his shirt, and he yelped, jumping back quickly. Porrim’s laughter made him pout, and he opened his eyes. One glance told him that she’d stuffed a handful of snow down his shirt, although he could’ve guessed that. Cronus huffed, then took a few steps back.

  “Oh. Mister Ampora I didn’t-Ack!” Porrim jumped when a snow ball hit her chest. She blinked, then smirked, leaning down to scoop up a handful of snow. She packed it tightly, then looked at Cronus. He was grinning, tossing a snow ball from hand to hand.

  The fight was messy, breathless, fun, and cold. It was also short. Not much snow had fallen. Porrim finally scooped some off her own clothing, and launched herself at Cronus, tipping them both over into a heap. They both laughed, hard enough to make their sides ache as they tried to pull themselves up. They gave up after a few moments and waited until their laughter had stopped to stand.

  “I’m _freezing_.” Cronus said. Porrim nodded, shivering a little. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into her house, but he stopped in the doorway. “Cronus.”

  “Hmm?” She looked at him, giving him a quizzical look.

  “I’m. My name. It’s Cronus. Better then Mister Ampora.” He said, feeling slightly awkward. Porrim gave him a strange look, then smiled and offered her hand, still wet from the melted snow.

  “Porrim. Nice to meet you, Cronus.” She said. Cronus smiled and took it, giving it a small shake.

  “Nice to meet you.” He said. He had a feeling this would be a lovely Christmas.  


End file.
